


Survivor's Guilt

by TheSassyGreninja



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Aura (Pokemon), Character Death, Gen, Movie: Mew to Hadou no Yuusha: Lucario | Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, former aura trainee Ash, mentioned only - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-25 06:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30084741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSassyGreninja/pseuds/TheSassyGreninja
Summary: Two years ago, Ash Ketchum had it all. He was in training to become an Aura Guardian, and he was on his way to achieving his dream of becoming the best Pokemon trainer in the world. While he hadn't won a league as of yet, he felt that his day was coming soon.But then one day, everything changed in the blink of an eye.Ever since the untimely death of a dear friend, Ash hasn't attempted to use his aura. The incident proved that he wasn't fit to be an Aura Guardian, that much was obvious. But some of his friends aren't too eager to let him give up on himself, and a trip to Cameron Palace as well as a meeting with a certain ancient Pokemon will force Ash to confront the demons he's tried to run from for so long.
Relationships: Ash Ketchum & Lucario, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Takeshi | Brock
Comments: 15
Kudos: 35





	1. Cameron Palace

The sound of music and laughter filled the massive ballroom as the guests at Cameron Palace danced to a waltz, the lights glimmering overhead as the moon shone outside the palace windows. Everyone in the Kingdom of Rota, it seemed, had gathered for the annual celebration of the legendary Sir Aaron, a knight from an ancient past who had sacrificed his life to save the kingdom from a battle that would have destroyed it. It truly was a spectacular party, complete with some of the most incredible-looking food most of the attendees had ever laid their eyes upon. Lady Ilene, the current ruler of the kingdom, stood at the front of the hall, watching the guests dancing and making merry. 

Only one person wasn't taking part in the festivities. Thirteen-year-old Ash Ketchum stood off to the side, observing the party silently as he leaned against the wall. Across the ballroom, he could see his close friends, Brock, Max, and May all dancing with their own partners. Once or twice, one of them would catch his eye and beckon for him to join them, but he turned away every single time. The storm he could feel brewing in his head clashed horribly with the joyful atmosphere, and he felt as though he must either find a way to flee undetected or...well, he didn't want to think about what the other option would be. 

He glanced around the ballroom, wondering where Pikachu and the other Pokemon had gotten off to, but they were nowhere to be seen. Ash shrugged it off, assuming they had gone off to explore the massive castle. He wasn't too worried, though; the Pokemon were more than capable of taking care of themselves. There would be time to find them all later if necessary. 

Almost instinctively, Ash's eyes traveled up to the massive painting of Sir Aaron mounted on the wall, looming almost imposingly over the guests. The ancient Aura Guardian stood on the back of a Pidgeot, his staff held high above his head. Even from where he stood, Ash could clearly make out the expression of defiant power on Sir Aaron's face. He lowered his gaze and turned away, feeling a strange mixture of bitterness and guilt welling up inside of him. 

_Sir Aaron, one of the first Aura Guardians of ancient times. He served under Lady Rin as a knight in the Kingdom of Rota. Seven hundred years ago, he sacrificed himself to save the kingdom from being destroyed in battle._

That was how the legend went, at least according to the whispers Ash had picked up on from the surrounding guests. Of course, there were some inconsistencies in the tale-for one, a few trainers had debated between themselves on the exact date of Sir Aaron's sacrifice. But the overall story was the same. Some centuries ago, the Aura Guardian had given up his life for the good of the kingdom. He was, in every sense of the word, a true hero. His title as an Aura Guardian only served to further verify that fact. 

Even in these times, Aura Guardians were among the most highly revered trainers in the world. And rightfully so, as they were well-known for their dedication to protecting the world and making sure that Pokemon and humans could coexist peacefully. The training was long and arduous, and it wasn't uncommon for aura users to fail to complete their training. There was an old saying that only the purest of heart would succeed in becoming a true Aura Guardian. 

Ash would know-after all, he had been training to become an Aura Guardian at one point. But he had learned the hard way that it wasn't what he was destined for. 

"Hey, Ash. How are you holding up?" came the familiar voice of his longest traveling companion and close friend, Brock. 

Normally, Ash would have been thrilled at getting to talk to his old friend. Now, however, all he could feel was a sense of bitter betrayal. It had been Brock's idea, after all, to come to Cameron Palace in the first place under the guise of watching a special battle tournament. 

"Did you know about this?" he asked harshly, gesturing toward the painting. "Did you know Sir Aaron was an Aura Guardian?" 

"Yes," Brock admitted. "His story has been passed down for centuries, Ash. I'm surprised you didn't know yourself-" 

"-considering what I spent nearly three whole years of my life training for?" Ash interrupted, unable to keep his anger out of his voice. He let out a long-suffering sigh. "I've told you a million times to just let it go, Brock. I know you all think you're helping me, but you're not. I'm not cut out to be an Aura Guardian. I've accepted that. It's time all of you did too." 

"Then just what _are_ you cut out for, Ash?" the older boy asked pointedly. "You've not attempted to use your aura for two years, and you hardly ever train your Pokemon anymore. And you didn't even participate in the tournament today, and you _love_ battling. Pardon me for saying so, but to me, it seems as if you're just going through the motions these days." 

Ash narrowed his eyes and turned away. "You worry about your own life, Brock, and let me worry about mine." 

The older trainer seemed about to answer when a sudden shout of disbelief and fear coming from the tournament's winner, a boy of about seventeen with auburn-colored hair, caught everyone's attention. Spinning around, Ash saw that the staff in the boy's hands (allegedly the same staff that Sir Aaron had wielded so many years ago) was shaking erratically, emitting a bright glow that was probably close to blinding anyone standing less than twenty feet away from it. 

"What in the world?!" 

"What's going on?!" 

"How is the staff doing that?" 

"Run for cover!" 

Just as quickly as it had started, however, the brilliant glow was gone. Something-or rather, someone–burst out of the staff, kneeling down in front of the stunned crowd. The newcomer was a jackal-like Pokemon with blue and black fur, silver spikes adorning his chest and his two front paws, and strange appendages on the side of his head. Although his eyes were closed, Ash knew that once he opened them, he would reveal two deep red orbs. 

Moving with surprising agility, the Pokemon leaped forward suddenly until he was standing directly in front of Ash. " _Sir Aaron! Why did you abandon the queen?_ " 

He didn't bother being surprised about the use of Telepathy. Speaking a bit more harshly than he had intended, he replied, "I'm not Sir Aaron." 

At the sound of his voice, the Pokemon slowly opened his eyes. Almost immediately, they flew open in shock as he found himself face to face with a boy who was definitely not the ancient Aura Guardian. The Pokemon stared around the ballroom in confusion and disbelief before turning tail and fleeing out the palace doors. 

Ash let out a sigh, the same bitterness from before welling up inside of him again. He knew exactly who this Pokemon was despite being unfamiliar with the legend of Sir Aaron. He knew exactly what had caused him to suddenly make a reappearance now. And he was not looking forward to what was to come next. 


	2. The Aura Guardian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any dialogue you recognize has been taken from the dub version of "Lucario and the Mystery of Mew." But let's be honest, I wrote it better. Kidding.

It didn't take long for the group to find Lucario again. They discovered the jackal inside a museum-like room, looking over a display containing several ancient artifacts that had belonged to Lady Rin. Upon seeing Lady Ilene for the first time, Lucario initially mistook her for the long-dead queen, but Lady Ilene gently corrected him and explained that Rin was, in fact, one of her ancestors. 

" _But...but how? I was in this room just a few days ago,_ " Lucario protested, stumbling back and bumping against the display. 

"Please, believe me. It may seem like days ago, but the reality is, you haven't walked in this palace for centuries," the monarch explained gently. 

Once, not too long ago, Ash would have felt sorry for Lucario, having to wake up and find himself in this strange time when everything he knew and loved was gone. Now, however, all he could feel was an urgent desire to flee the group as soon as possible and then never return to Cameron Palace again. And, although he was ashamed to admit it, there was a tiny part of him that resented the ancient Pokemon as well. He knew it wasn't fair, knew that Lucario hadn't actually _done_ anything to him yet, but there it was. 

It didn't make matters any better when Lucario shot him a curious, almost calculating look. Ash averted his gaze almost instantly, but he could tell that the jackal had not. He wasn't entirely sure what Lucario wanted from him, but he had no interest in a conversation with him. Mercifully, after a few intense, uncomfortable moments, Lucario finally turned away from him as well. 

Ash sighed inwardly, lifting his face up toward the ceiling. How was it that he always managed to find himself in these situations? For the past two years, he had managed to avoid having anything to do with aura despite his friends' constant urges for him to resume his training. Yet somehow, in the span of one evening, he had managed to undo it all. And the worst part was, he didn't think he had anyone to blame but himself. 

_Arceus damn it all,_ he thought to himself. _Why do I always have to go and mess everything up?_

* * *

Sometime later, Ash found himself back in the ballroom with the rest of his friends (sans Max, who had disappeared sometime during the festivities), listening as Lucario explained what had happened during the battle that had nearly destroyed Cameron Palace. According to the jackal, he had gone out to see if there was a way to stop the fighting, but his efforts had been in vain. That didn't come as a surprise to anyone. What did throw everyone for a loop, however, was Lucario's fervent admission that Sir Aaron had not sacrificed himself to save the kingdom, but that he was actually a traitor who had fled the palace in its hour of need. 

"But everyone believes Sir Aaron was a hero," May protested. "His story has been told for hundreds of years." 

" _And I tell you that the story is wrong! Sir Aaron was never a hero!_ " Lucario snapped back. 

Despite his insistence, however, it was clear that May and the others were reluctant to believe him. It was clear that their love for the ancient tale blinded them to any possibility that it might have been wrong, or at least extremely twisted by centuries of storytelling. 

Personally, Ash wasn't sure what to believe. On one hand, he didn't see any reason for Lucario to lie to them. Everyone from his past was long dead, and he certainly hadn't known Ash or his friends long enough to care enough to slander the name of a much-beloved hero. But on the other hand, the likelihood of everyone getting the legend so horribly wrong for so many years seemed just as slim. 

"There's no way to know for sure what happened," Lady Ilene spoke up, evidently trying to placate the agitated Pokemon. "However, I will look into things to see if I can find anything that might point us to what truly happened that day." 

" _I will do what I can to help,_ " Lucario vowed. 

"Lucario, one thing hasn't changed. This palace is your home," the queen continued kindly. "Please feel free to stay for as long as you'd like." 

Lucario stared for a brief moment, then bowed. " _I am deeply grateful, Your Highness_." 

"Lucario, how come you thought Ash was Sir Aaron?" May asked curiously. 

Ash had long since figured out exactly why the jackal had mistaken him for his old friend and was unsurprised when Lucario replied, " _The aura I sense in him is like Sir Aaron's._ " 

_Fantastic,_ he thought bitterly. Not only was he being reminded of the gift he had tried to forget for so long, but his aura just _had_ to be nearly identical to that of Lucario's old master. Life really wasn't fair sometimes. 

At that moment, he wanted nothing more than for Lucario to disappear back into the staff for another seven hundred years, or at least for a few more days until they finally left the Kingdom of Rota. Even if it wasn't fair, he didn't want anything to do with anything or anyone that even remotely reminded him of his gift (if it could even be considered that). Unfortunately, seeing as he had no intention or knowledge of how to use the staff, he would have to settle for the second-best option. 

"Listen, guys. I'm going to head back to the hotel room now. Long day, you know," Ash said, purposely not meeting anyone's gaze. "I'll, uh, see you all later, I guess." 

"But Ash-" Brock started to protest, but Ash cut him off. 

"I'm _tired_ , Brock. Look, I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?" he sighed. 

Bowing one last time to Lady Ilene, he turned around to leave the palace. Before he could take a single step toward the door, however, he was stopped as Max suddenly came bursting into the ballroom along with the rest of the group's Pokemon. The younger boy was still wearing his costume, and he looked decidedly frantic. 

"You guys, you guys! You won't believe what just happened! A Mew just made off with Meowth and Pikachu!" Max cried out. 

"Mew just _what_?" Ash exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his desire to get as far away from Lucario as possible. 

"It's true. I saw the same thing," came another voice. Ash looked up to see the girl that Brock had danced with earlier entering the ballroom after Max. 

"Ah, yes," Lady Ilene spoke up again, looking a bit concerned. "Mew is known for being a bit of a trickster. She often likes to stop by and steal children's toys. We usually never see them again after they're stolen." 

Ash wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. He definitely didn't like the thought of never seeing Pikachu again. They were best friends, having traveled together since the first day of his Pokemon journey. But at the same time, there was a part of him that wondered if perhaps Mew had done Pikachu a favor. Wherever Pikachu was now, he would probably have a happier life than if he continued to stay with him. 

Then again, he would feel terrible if he didn't at least try to find his friend, even if it was only to give his permission for Pikachu to leave. So the path before him was still fairly clear nonetheless. 

"Do you know where we might be able to find Mew?" he asked. 

"That might not be so easy. You see, Mew can transform to look like any Pokemon, so you're not likely to ever see her in her true form," the queen explained. "However, your best chance at finding her would be to travel to the Tree of Beginning where she resides." 

She led them to a small balcony overlooking the palace courtyard. In the distance, through a thin layer of fog, Ash could just barely make out what appeared to be a massive tree. This, he assumed, was the Tree of Beginning. Despite his apathy toward the legend of Sir Aaron, he had to admit that it was a magnificent sight even from where he stood. 

"Is that it?" Max asked, voicing the question Ash didn't care enough to ask himself. 

"It is," Lady Ilene confirmed. 

"How is it still standing after so many years?" May asked curiously. 

"Well, the Tree of Beginning isn't actually a real tree. It's a giant rock that's shaped like one," Lady Ilene explained. "That is where you will find Mew." 

"But if Mew can transform to look like any Pokemon in the world, then how will we be able to find her?" Max pointed out. 

"It's been said that those who can sense the aura in others will be able to detect Mew, even when she's in disguise," the queen replied. 

"Really? Well, then we should have no problem, then. Ash, you can see aura, can't you?" Brock suggested. 

"Did I not just tell you to drop it?" Ash snapped back, feeling his temper flare. Brock took a step back, and he let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. Yes, I can see aura. But you're forgetting that I still don't know how to get to the Tree of Beginning any better than you do. Without that, being able to sense Mew's aura isn't exactly much use." 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lucario watching him with that same calculating look from before. He didn't look at all surprised to learn that Ash was capable of manipulating aura, at least to some extent. His own use of the ability must have been advanced enough that he could detect how much another aura user had trained their own. 

It took a few moments for Ash's still-lagging mind to realize what this meant. He and Lucario were the only ones in the group who could use aura, at least that he knew of. Unlike him, however, Lucario knew how to get to the Tree of Beginning. Ash let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he realized what this meant. 

_Dear Arceus, not him. Please, anyone but him._

But it was too late. 

"Lucario," Lady Ilene spoke up solemnly. "Will you please guide Ash and his friends to the Tree of Beginning?"

* * *

Later that evening, Ash found himself standing on the balcony again, staring out toward the kingdom. It was well past midnight now, and the world had gone almost completely silent. Only the chirping of a few nocturnal Pokemon gave any indication that there was still anyone awake besides himself. Through the fog, he could still see the Tree of Beginning, still standing just as tall as it had been not even two hours ago. 

He wondered what it would look like up close. 

For one reason or another, Lucario had agreed to guide them. The Aura Pokemon had been noticeably reluctant, and Ash expected that he had only agreed because he saw it as an opportunity to try to prove his claims that Sir Aaron had betrayed the kingdom. Not that he knew how Lucario planned to bring light to the supposed truth in the first place. Still, he _had_ agreed to help, so Ash supposed he should have been a bit more grateful. 

" _Ash._ " 

_Well, speak of the devil,_ Ash thought wryly. Without turning his head, he replied quietly, "What is it, Lucario?" 

Lucario didn't answer at first, and for a moment, Ash thought he hadn't heard him. Before he could repeat his question, however, the jackal finally spoke up again. 

" _How long have you been training to become an Aura Guardian?_ " 

"How would you know whether I've been training for not?" Ash shot back, though his challenge sounded hollow even to his own ears. They both knew exactly how Lucario had figured it out. 

But the ancient Pokemon chose to indulge him anyway. " _You're forgetting that I can sense the aura in others as well, Ash. And I can tell that your control over your own is very advanced, especially for someone as young as you appear._ " 

Knowing that there was no point in arguing, he just shrugged. "Alright, yeah. I _was_ training to become an Aura Guardian, but I didn't finish my training. I gave up on it." 

" _Why?_ " Lucario inquired. 

Ash would have dearly loved to respond with "Why not," but he sensed that it wouldn't be a good idea to test Lucario's patience at this time of night. Instead, he replied shortly, "I just realized I wasn't cut out for it, that's all." 

All the while, he refused to meet the ancient Pokemon's gaze. Yet even without doing so, he could tell that Lucario hadn't bought a word he was saying. He pressed his lips together, fixing his gaze on the balcony floor. If Lucario wanted to probe him about why he had chosen to give up on training his aura, he would be waiting a long time yet. 

But when Lucario finally spoke up again, it was only to say, " _You should go to bed, Ash. We'll be leaving for the Tree of Beginning first thing tomorrow morning._ " 

Ash just nodded, still refusing to look his companion in the eye. As Lucario headed back inside the castle, however, he made no move to follow. Instead, he continued to stare out over the edge of the balcony, trying to calm the storm he could feel brewing in his heart. 

If this was how he felt after being around Lucario for only a few hours, how was he going to bear the rest of the trip? 


	3. Toward the Tree

Lucario certainly hadn't been fooling around when he said they would be leaving early. The sun was only just beginning to peer over the horizon when Ash and his friends all piled into a car with Kidd Summers, the girl Brock had danced with during the celebration and, apparently, one of the most accomplished researchers and trainers of the century. Ash had quickly lost count of the number of achievements Brock had listed of hers the previous night (not that he had been listening too intently in the first place). As they followed Lucario along the forest path, Ash turned his head to stare out the window, effectively tuning out any conversation happening within the vehicle. 

The fog from the previous night still hadn't lifted, but Lucario barely seemed fazed by it. He dodged every rock, tree, and fallen log as if they weren't even there. Despite his apathy toward aura in general, Ash couldn't help feeling slightly impressed. Lucario's skill with his aura was clearly advanced. Very, _very_ advanced. Ash himself had trained his aura for nearly a year before calling it quits, but he hadn't managed to reach the level that the jackal possessed. 

_I wonder...if I had chosen to keep going, would I be capable of what Lucario is now?_ he wondered to himself. 

Then he shook his head, tossing his thoughts away. There was no use dwelling on what could have been now. He had proven to himself once and for all that he wasn't good enough to become an Aura Guardian, and there was nothing he could do to change that. After all, a true Aura Guardian would never make the mistake he had. 

Of course, everyone told him it wasn't his fault. They told him that he had to stop beating himself up, that he couldn't have seen it coming. But maybe that was the problem. He was so used to taking everything for granted that he had never really considered the possibility of the worst happening, and because of his naivety... 

Well, no matter, it was all in the past now, wasn't it? 

He had moved on with his life. Maybe he wasn't cut out to be an Aura Guardian and maybe he was barely fit to be a Pokemon trainer either, but he would find something he was suited for eventually. All he had to do was keep searching. Granted, he hadn't had much luck so far, but Ash felt that it was only a matter of time. After all, there had to have been at least _one_ thing in the world that was meant for him, right?

Until then, however, he was resigned to going through every single day following the same routine of watching, waiting, or just watching and waiting. It certainly wasn't the worst way to spend his days; after all, a simple, safe, consistent lifestyle seemed to be best for everyone involved. But even so, Ash couldn't help wondering why even the sunniest of days always felt as though they were shrouded in gray. 

* * *

It was a well-agreed upon fact that Brock's cooking was some of the best in the world. Ash had yet to meet a single person who didn't enjoy the Pokemon breeder's meals, and he himself had once been known for eating three or four servings at once. These days, however, he found himself avoiding mealtimes more and more. Not because there was anything wrong with Brock's cooking, but because mealtime meant socialization time, which his friends always took as an opportunity to probe him about resuming his aura training. 

Naturally, when the group set up a temporary camp in an open field to have lunch, Ash was inclined to refuse at first. The dark gray storm clouds were shrouding his heart once again, and he didn't think he could handle everyone smiling and being cheerful. However, he also knew that refusing to eat would only provoke more worrying and unnecessary probing, so he reluctantly accepted the plate of sandwiches Brock handed to him. 

He chose to take his meal a few yards away from where the rest of the group was eating, taking a seat on a stump and chewing halfheartedly at his first sandwich. Lucario, Ash noticed, had also elected to eat his lunch (a few wild berries) as far away from the group as possible while still being able to keep watch over them. It was clear that neither of them was interested in any sort of social interaction at the moment. Were it not for the resentment against the Aura Pokemon tightening his chest, he might have found this extremely amusing. As it was, he could only feel mildly annoyed. 

_Out of everyone. Out of everyone she could have asked, Lady Ilene just had to choose Lucario to be our guide. The same Pokemon who just so happens to be able to..._

Ash took another bite out of his sandwich, recalling Lucario's words from the previous night. The ancient Pokemon had told him that his control over his aura was, apparently, very high for someone his age. In a way, he supposed it could be taken as a compliment, but he couldn't find it in himself to feel pleased. Instead, the remark had only served to embitter him toward Lucario even further. 

What did it matter how good he was at controlling his aura? It wouldn't change anything in the long run. No matter how gifted he may or may not have been, the fact remained that he would never become an Aura Guardian. Accepting that truth had been difficult at first, but he had managed it eventually. But now, here he was, being forced to spend at least the next few days in the company of another aura user. And while Lucario hadn't pushed the topic of his decision to abandon his training any further, Ash could sense that it was only a matter of time now until he did. 

Actually, on second thought, maybe Lucario wasn't too good with using his own aura either. If he was, then surely he would be able to sense that Ash wasn't as good of a user as his comment had implied him to be. 

As lost in thought as he was, Ash didn't notice that he had company until a soft crunching sound came from beside his feet. Glancing down, he saw a Bonsly munching on one of the sandwiches he had abandoned. The moment their gazes met, the little tree-like Pokemon froze, staring up at him with wide, innocent-looking eyes. 

"Bonsly, bon?" the little rock-type asked, blinking. 

"Stealing food, huh?" Ash replied quietly, looking down at Bonsly. "You know, that's not a very nice thing to do. If you keep doing stuff like that, sooner or later, it's going to get you into trouble." 

"Bon bon?" Bonsly tilted his head to the side. 

Ash shook his head, gently nudging the plate of sandwiches toward the little Pokemon. "Well, alright, you can have it. Better you than me anyways." 

And as he watched Bonsly happily digging into what was left of his lunch, Ash could feel a particular set of deep red eyes boring into him.


	4. Hypocrite

_A hot spring. Of course. We just had to stop off at a hot spring, didn't we?_

Ash sat down on a nearby rock, watching as his friends relaxed in the warm water. Despite the fact that they were supposed to be on a rescue mission, everyone seemed content to take a break for a quick swim. He supposed he couldn't really blame them, especially since their path _was_ currently being blocked by a set of active geysers. Yet even as he told himself this, the hollow, dark sensation in his chest refused to disappear. 

He knew it wasn't fair of him to feel the way he was. His friends had all pleaded for him to join them; it wasn't as though they were intentionally leaving him out. Try as he might, however, Ash couldn't summon up the will to even _pretend_ to be interested in swimming in the hot spring. Once, he would have joined in without hesitation, but those days had been left in the past along with his dream of becoming an Aura Guardian and a Pokemon master. 

Lucario, despite an invitation from Max, had chosen to pass up the hot spring as well. Much like Ash, he had taken a seat on a rock a good distance away from the spring, although on the opposite end from where Ash sat. The constant similarities he kept finding himself sharing with the jackal were starting to grate on his nerves and were it not for the fact that he would have appeared utterly insane, Ash might have marched over to Lucario and demanded that he stop copying him. 

"Oh, wow! Look, you guys!" May's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What is that up there?" 

She was pointing at something perched on a small ledge protruding from the cliff overlooking the hot spring. Against his better judgment, Ash turned his head to see what had captured her attention. Unfortunately, that one quick glance was all he needed to realize that his momentary weakness had been a terrible mistake. From where he was sitting, it was difficult to see the object of May's interest in its entirety, but there was no mistaking the blue and pink petals or the way it sparkled in the sunlight, much more so than a normal flower should. 

Ash turned away, his mind flashing back to the first time he had seen one of...those. 

_"This is a time flower, Ash. Aura users are able to use them to see into the past," Riley explained. "Touching the flower will cause it to react to your aura, and from there, it will capture that particular moment, which you'll be able to rewatch every time you touch it again."_

_"Really?" Ash asked, tilting his head to the side with a small frown. "So, it's kind of like recording a video and pressing the rewind button so you can watch it again and again?"_

_"Exactly right. Well done, Ash," the older trainer confirmed._

_Ash beamed happily, feeling a surge of pride at his mentor's praise. Beside him, Riolu tugged gently at his pant leg, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Chuckling, he picked up the tiny dog-like Pokemon and placed him on his lone unoccupied shoulder. Riolu barked happily, immediately snuggling up to him. He smiled, reaching up to pet the Emanation Pokemon between his ears._

_"Are time flowers very rare?"_ _he asked._

_"Very. As a matter of fact, I would estimate that there are only a couple thousand in the world," Riley answered. "But these flowers are extremely resilient. It's been said that there are time flowers that have records of events from over a thousand years ago."_

_"How is that possible? I thought flowers usually died after a few days?" Ash pointed out, puzzled._

_Riley chuckled. "You see, this isn't actually a plant. It's a crystal that's been shaped to look like a flower. That's why they can live for as long as they do."_

_Ash nodded, staring in awe at the crystalline bud. In the afternoon sunlight, it seemed to sparkle as brightly as the stars on a clear summer night. Looking down at the flower, Ash felt he could safely say once and for all that training to become an Aura Guardian had been the best decision of his life._

Back in the present, Ash stared down at his feet, feeling the bitter emptiness in his chest growing steadily more expansive by the minute. And with the memories the sight of the time flower had brought up, there came a painful twinge in his heart that he couldn't begin to explain if he tried. 

* * *

Later that night, when everyone else had long since gone to bed, Ash snuck out of the back of Kidd's car. He moved quietly, taking care not to disturb Max, who was sleeping beside him. Fortunately for him, he didn't have anything to worry about. It had been a long day, and everyone was more than ready to get a long night of rest. They would be continuing their journey to the Tree of Beginning first thing tomorrow morning. 

Everyone, that is, except for Ash. _He_ would be going back to Cameron Palace, where he would promptly take the next bus, train, or whatever form of transportation was available out of the Kingdom of Rota. Once he had done that...well, he wasn't sure what his next step would be. 

But one thing was for sure. He was done with this mission, done with trying to rescue Pikachu. His buddy would just have to make do with living with Mew from now on. Ash wasn't too worried about that, though. After all, Mew was a legendary (well, mythical) Pokemon. If she had actually wanted to hurt Pikachu, she wouldn't have gone to the trouble of kidnapping him and dragging him to some remote location miles and miles away from the castle. 

It wasn't that he didn't care about Pikachu. Far from it. No matter what, Ash knew that he would always treasure the time they had spent together. But he just couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't stand being around his friends when they were happy and cheerful, he couldn't stand the sight of those stupid time flowers, and he especially couldn't stand being around Lucario, who seemed to find a reason to watch him whenever he thought Ash wasn't looking. Everything had just become too much to handle, and he had no desire to find out of he could stick it out any longer. 

" _And just where do you think you're going, Ash?_ " 

Closing his eyes, Ash let out a groan as the voice of the last person or Pokemon he wanted to see at that moment reached his ears. Without turning around, he simply picked up his backpack and continued walking, intent on ignoring Lucario. Perhaps if he just kept going, the ancient Pokemon would get the hint and leave him alone. 

As his luck would have it, however, Lucario was much more persistent than he gave him credit for. " _I believe I asked you a question._ " 

"I don't care what you believe," Ash shot back, not even bothering to stop. "And I don't see what concern it is of yours anyway." 

" _It isn't, believe me, but your friends will be worried if you disappear in the middle of the night, won't they?_ " Lucario asked coolly. 

"Oh, I see, so you've taken it upon yourself to mind me or something? Is that it?" he sneered. 

Lucario snorted. " _I told you already, it's no concern of mine whether you stay or not._ " 

"Really. For someone who doesn't care whether I stay or leave, you sure seem intent on following me everywhere," Ash griped. "Why don't you just go back to brooding? You were doing that so well this whole time." 

" _You are not one to talk,_ " the jackal snapped back. 

"For Arceus' sake, Lucario, why can't you just leave me alone?" he snapped, whirling around to face the Aura Pokemon as his temper flared. "Why? I haven't done anything to bother you! I've left you alone this whole time. Is it too much to ask that you do the same?" 

There was no response at first, so Ash figured that Lucario had given up on trying to get him to return to the campsite. As he turned around to start walking again, however, the jackal's voice suddenly cut through the still night air. 

" _Do you know what I think, Ash?_ " he asked coldly. " _I think you're selfish. I think you're leaving because you're planning on abandoning Pikachu. You're just like every other human out there, you and your friends. You can't be trusted._ " 

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" 

Ash hadn't realized that his voice was growing steadily louder until he was nearly shouting. Fortunately, they were far enough away from the campsite that he wouldn't have woken up any of his friends. Letting out a growl, he spun around to face Lucario again, barely resisting the urge to slam his fist into the Pokemon's face. 

"Let's get one thing straight here, Lucario. You don't get to accuse me of being selfish or abandoning Pikachu," he snarled. "You don't know anything about me, not that I want you to or anything." 

" _I-_ " 

"I've been around the block a few times, Lucario. I know all about what Pokemon like you are like," Ash snapped. "You think all humans are selfish, horrible monsters who only care about using Pokemon to win battles. And if a Pokemon doesn't suit our needs, we dump them like last week's trash. Am I right?" 

"And look, maybe you have a point. Maybe we're all the lowest form of scum on Earth, and all we do is constantly fuck everything up. Heck, I know for a fact that you're spot-on when it comes to at least a few of the trainers I've met during my journey." 

"But you know what, Lucario? You're no different than any of us," he continued, pointing an accusing finger at the Aura Pokemon. "You're not here on this mission because you care about Pikachu. You don't care about him. And you certainly don't care about me or my friends; you said so yourself already. The only reason you're here is for yourself. You're so desperate to prove a point about some guy who died seven hundred years ago! _That's_ why you're here. It has nothing to do with being concerned that something might have happened to Pikachu." 

"And you know what the pathetic thing is? You can't even admit it to yourself! You're so caught up in wallowing in self-pity over something you _think_ happened centuries ago that you fail to see you're just as self-centered as the rest of us! See, that's the problem with Pokemon like you, Lucario. You're always so high and mighty, acting as if you have the moral high ground when the reality is that you're probably worse than the humans you hate so much! At least we're not lying to ourselves. So don't start giving me that crap about being selfish because I'm not the only one around here who's being selfish, and you know it." 

With that, he spun around again and stormed off. As he walked away, putting as much distance between himself and the Aura Pokemon as possible, he could have sworn he heard Lucario chuckle and mutter, " _Oh, you're a strange one, aren't you?_ " 


	5. A Cloudy Day

In the end, Ash found that he didn't actually have it in himself to abandon the rescue mission. No matter how many times he told himself that he was doing the right thing, that Pikachu would be better off without him, he just couldn't bring himself to stray far from the campsite. Maybe he was just being selfish, but he felt as though he _had_ to stay. Instead, he settled down at the edge of a river a few miles away from where his friends were still sleeping peacefully, apparently unaware of his disappearance. 

Even so, just because he was going to continue the mission didn't mean he was going to let Pikachu come back with him, Ash told himself firmly. He was only going to the Tree of Beginning to tell Pikachu that he would be free to live the rest of his life with Mew. His Pokemon partner deserved that much from him at least. Once his goodbyes had been said, however, that would be the end of that. Pikachu would move on to live the life he deserved, and Ash would continue on his own journey to find out just _what_ his purpose in life was supposed to be. 

But...he couldn't help wondering just how much longer he would have to search. 

How long had he been on this journey? How many places had he traveled to in the hopes of discovering what he was meant to be, only to come up empty-handed every single time? Ash wanted to believe that he would find his purpose if he just kept looking. Perseverance was the key, after all, as everyone always liked to say. But the longer he kept failing, the harder it became to ignore that little inkling in the back of his mind that maybe, just maybe, he was going about it all wrong. 

Not that he knew what the right way was anymore. Actually, as a matter of fact, he wasn't sure whether he knew right from wrong at all. If he did, then surely he would have been strong enough to leave instead of forcing himself to stay on the mission. 

Maybe that was the problem. Maybe it wasn't that he didn't know right from wrong, but rather that he wasn't strong enough to do the right thing. He was too selfish, just as Lucario had said. As hypocritical as the Aura Pokemon was, he had hit the nail right on the head with that one. 

Of course, that didn't stop him from blaming Lucario, at least partially, for the fact that he was in the position he was in now. It wasn't fair or right, he knew, but his bitterness overrode any sense of logic. 

Why, _why_ , did Lady Ilene have to choose Lucario to be their guide? 

He didn't know how many times he had asked himself that question. But the answer remained the same every single time, by that meaning that he couldn't think of an answer. Or maybe he could, but his heart and mind were too stubborn to let him figure it out. One thing was for sure, though, his life would have been so much better if he had never met the Aura Pokemon in the first place. 

Ash closed his eyes, feeling the same bitter emptiness wash over him once again, so powerful it nearly took his breath away. What was the matter with him? Everything had been going so well. He had been two years removed from his aura training, and he thought he had moved on with his life. But in a moment of weakness, he had thrown it all away. He had allowed Brock to coerce him into visiting the Kingdom of Rota, and now, because of his stupidity, he was stuck on a mission where everything seemed to want to remind him of what he had given up. Everything he had worked so hard to forget had all come rushing back, and now he was right back to where he had started. 

_"Can you believe it's been six months since we started training, Riolu?" Ash asked excitedly, staring up at the starlit sky with the Emanation Pokemon. "It's crazy, huh? It feels like we met just yesterday."_

_Riolu barked happily, leaning up against his side. Ash, being fairly well-versed in the art of using aura by now, easily sensed the waves of contentment coming from the dog-like Pokemon. His partner's joy was contagious, and he felt a smile spreading across his face._

_These were the moments he lived for. When training was done for the day and the world had gone quiet, Ash preferred to lie underneath the stars with his Pokemon. They might not be able to converse the way humans did, but that hardly seemed to matter. Maybe it had something to do with his species, but Ash felt that Riolu understood him better than anyone except for Pikachu. And it seemed to go the other way as well. No matter what, he could always tell what his aura training partner wanted at any particular moment._

_"Riley said he's going to teach me how to make an Aura Sphere tomorrow! Isn't that so cool?" he asked happily, feeling a twinge of anticipation. "I've always wanted to learn how to do that. It looks so cool! But I bet it's going to be really easy for you, right Riolu? Especially when you finally evolve into Lucario."_

_Riolu gave another bark of agreement. Chuckling, Ash reached over and scratched the little dog Pokemon behind his ears._

_"You know, when Riley first came to me about training to become an Aura Guardian, I wasn't too sure. I mean, my dream was always to become a Pokemon master. But he convinced me that I could still do both, so I agreed," Ash said, staring up at the sky once more. "And you know what? I think it was the best decision I've ever made. If I hadn't, then I would never have gotten to meet you. That makes everything worth it, I think."_

Back in the present, Ash bowed his head, still not moving from his spot at the edge of the river. If anyone had passed by and seen his face at that moment, they would have seen a tear roll down his cheek and drop onto the ground. 


	6. The Heart of a Guardian

Hours later, the sun was beginning to peer over the horizon and Ash still hadn't moved from his spot. His legs had gone stiff from sitting in one position for so long and there was a definite chill to the air, but he barely noticed. For the past however many hours, he had remained by the edge of the river, unable to stop the onslaught of memories. The old bitterness in his chest had faded, leaving him feeling nothing but emptiness. Somehow, he wasn't entirely sure which he preferred. 

Beneath the emptiness, however, buried so far down that he was barely even conscious of its presence, was a painful tugging in his stomach. This feeling, more than anything, was what he wished desperately would dissipate. For he knew exactly what he was feeling, and it only served to make him resent Lucario, Mew, Lady Ilene, his friends, and this ridiculous rescue mission even more. 

He stared out over the water, trying to fight it off, but it was no use. Acknowledging it seemed to have given it strength, and now that it had made itself known, there didn't seem to be anything he could do to rid himself of it. 

_Damn it. Damn it. What's wrong with me? Why do I always have to go ruin everything?_

Ash wasn't entirely sure what made him do it. But for whatever reason, for the first time in two years, he closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply, just as Riley had taught him all those months and years ago. Slowly but surely, he felt the old power, lying dormant for so long, beginning to awaken again. A warmth that he had almost completely forgotten spread throughout his body, seeming to lend him a strength that he had thought he would never feel again. 

When he opened his eyes again, an all-too-familiar bright blue orb was floating in the palm of his hand. He watched it silently for a few moments before closing his hand, allowing it to flicker out. Somehow, even when the orb was gone, the warmth he had felt after tapping into his aura for the first time still remained. 

_What on earth am I doing?_ Ash thought wearily. _Isn't this exactly what I was supposed to be trying to forget? Why am I suddenly using my aura again? Why can't I just let it go? I know this isn't right for me, so why is it so hard to stop?_

Try as he might, he just couldn't come up with an answer. Even worse than that, but there was a part of him that didn't _want_ to give up. Now that he had stupidly reminded himself of just what he had lost, the tugging in his chest had grown stronger than ever. Somehow, he knew that it wouldn't be as easy to move on as it had been the last time-assuming that he was able to move on at all. 

_What have I done?_

As lost in thought as he was, it took a few moments for Ash to realize that he had company. Once he did, however, it was only a few more moments before he realized just _who_ had taken a seat beside him. 

And it was an even shorter amount of time before the old fury washed over him again. 

"Lucario, just _what_ part of 'leave me alone' did you not understand?" Ash spat, snapping his head around to glare at the jackal. 

Far from being intimidated, however, Lucario just crossed his legs and leaned onto his side. " _I hate to break it to you, Ash, but you're forgetting one key fact. And it's that I don't listen to what any of you tell me to do. I only listen to myself._ " 

"Is that so? Well, then tell yourself to go away and leave me the fuck alone," he growled. 

" _No can do, I'm afraid. You see, I actually came here because you need to come back to camp now,_ " Lucario informed him, and Ash could have sworn that he saw his eyes glitter mischievously. " _If you thought you were going to get away, Ash, you've got another think coming. I'm not about to let you run out on your friends._ " 

"Forgive me, but I wasn't aware that you were allowed to _let_ me do anything," Ash snapped back. 

Lucario just shrugged. " _Consider it a burden of being assigned as your guide for this mission._ " 

"That means nothing. I'm sure everything is a burden to you, isn't it?" he snarked. 

This was ridiculous. He didn't have to put up with this, and certainly not from Lucario of all Pokemon. Evidently, the past few hours had done nothing to teach the jackal anything. He was still the same high and mighty pain in the neck, acting as though he knew better than everyone just because of his perceived superiority over humans. And _that_ was only because of a betrayal he thought had happened centuries ago, a betrayal that, by all accounts, was as fictitious as Lucario believed the legend of Sir Aaron's sacrifice was. 

Ash jumped to his feet, intent on finding another place to be alone with his thoughts for a while. Before he could get very far, however, a paw suddenly shot out and caught him around the wrist. 

"Let go of me, Lucario," he hissed. 

" _Why? So you can run away again?_ " Lucario snapped. " _And tell me, just how has that been working out for you?_ " 

Something in the jackal's tone made Ash stop dead in his tracks. All at once, the fight seemed to leave his body, rendering him unable to summon the strength to pull away from the ancient Pokemon. Lucario, apparently sensing that Ash wasn't going to run away, mercifully let go of his wrist but continued on with his point anyway. 

" _That's all you ever do, isn't it? You're so caught up in trying to run away from your past that it's the only thing you know how to do now,_ " Lucario hissed. " _I admit that I don't know what happened to you, Ash. So I have no idea why you feel the need to act the way you do. But you know what I do know? You're a coward. And selfish. You think that you can lie to yourself and say that you're not because leaving means that you're doing what's best for Pikachu-don't look so surprised, your thoughts are written on your face. You wear your heart on your sleeve, Ash. But you're wrong. You're not doing this for Pikachu, you're doing it for yourself. Because you're too selfish to realize that-_ " 

And just like that, for the second time in the past few hours, Ash was shouting. Spinning around to face the Aura Pokemon, he all but screamed, "I KNOW THAT ALREADY!" 

Lucario stared at him, stunned into silence. Evidently, he hadn't been expecting Ash to agree with him. Ash took advantage of the Pokemon's momentary silence to continue ranting. And once he started, he found that he couldn't stop. 

"Don't you think I know that already? I got the memo, Lucario. I know I'm selfish, and I know I'm not doing the right thing! Okay? I figured that out for myself, thank you very much!" he spat. "But you know what? I don't care! I don't care if I'm not doing the right thing, and I don't care _who_ I'm doing or not doing this for because it doesn't _matter_ anymore! _Nothing_ about this matters! You want me to tell you the truth, Lucario? You want me to tell you why I was planning to leave earlier? Fine! I'll tell you why! It's because I'm sick and tired of all of this! It's all complete bullshit and _I can't take it anymore_. I hate being on this mission, I hate the fact that I even chose to come to Rota in the first place, I hate that stupid time flower we saw yesterday, and I _especially_ hate that Lady Ilene chose _you_ out of everyone to be our guide! Because now I...now I..." 

"I can't do this, Lucario. I hate being here and being constantly reminded of my aura...and everything I gave up on because of it," Ash whispered. All his fury seemed to disappear at once, and he sat back down on the grass, feeling utterly defeated. "I never missed it before...but now?" 

As soon as he spoke the words, he felt as though a weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. In its place, however, came the nearly-crushing realization that he had even less of an idea of what his purpose in life was supposed to be now. If he was just going to be miserable without his aura training but he wasn't cut out to be an Aura Guardian...

There was no response from Lucario at first, and Ash wondered if any of his words had reached his companion at all. After a few moments, however, Lucario took a seat down on the grass beside him and placed a paw on his knee. 

" _Ash, why did you give up on your training?_ " he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. 

He sighed. "I told you already, Lucario. I realized I wasn't cut out for it." 

" _The real reason, Ash._ " 

"What makes you so sure there's another reason?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Lucario gave him an exasperated look. " _Ash, I told you already that your control over your aura is very advanced-especially for someone your age. So I know you must have been training for a while. If you'd stopped because you realized you weren't cut out for it, as you put it, your control over it would be much weaker than it is because you wouldn't have been training nearly as long. Which means that there must be another reason._ " 

With a grimace of frustration, Ash realized that he was cornered. Lucario had already managed to see right through his lie, just as he had suspected he would. He remained silent for a few moments, trying to find a way to dodge the question. The last thing he wanted was to pour out every terrible detail of what had happened to _Lucario_ of all Pokemon. 

When he met the jackal's eyes, however, he found that he didn't have it in him to lie. 

"Back when I first started my aura training," Ash began, averting his eyes so that he was looking down at the ground. "I was given a Riolu as my partner. I already had Pikachu, so I found that a bit odd, but my mentor explained that it was common for every Aura Guardian in training to receive a Riolu. Sometimes, a trainer will be given a Ralts instead...but that's not really the point. Anyway, Riolu and I hit it off pretty much instantly. We had only just met, but somehow, it was like we had known each other for years." 

He sighed softly, allowing his memories to wash over him. "We were both really similar too, now that I think about it. Riolu loved to run around and play, and he was always so excitable. There were times when it was impossible to get him to sit still. And meditation? Forget about that. We were lucky to get ten minutes out of him. And his favorite food was chocolate. Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night for a drink and would find him digging through my bag, eating my chocolate! I never could find it in myself to scold him, though." 

"And then..." Ash trailed off for a moment, feeling his heart clench painfully as he finally reached the moment in his story he had been dreading the most. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly before continuing, "And then one day, we were playing outside our rental house in Sinnoh-that's where I went for my training. My mentor had caught the flu, so we had the day off. While we were playing, I accidentally tripped and cut my knee. It was bleeding, so I told Riolu and Pikachu to stay put and wait for me while I went to get it cleaned up." 

His hands shook slightly. "I had just closed the door when I heard a car go by...and Pikachu scream. I ran back outside, and that's when I found Riolu...Riolu..." 

" _Oh, Ash..._ " Lucario whispered, staring sorrowfully at him. 

"The driver didn't mean it. His favorite ball had rolled onto the street, and he went chasing after it. It was just bad timing," Ash said quietly, not entirely sure why he felt the need to defend the man who had killed his Pokemon. "I tried to save Riolu. Riley had been teaching me how to transfer my aura to another person...or Pokemon, I guess. So I sat there, and...and I tried, I promise I did. I was able to transfer some of my aura to him too. But...it wasn't enough, and Riolu passed away." 

"So after that, I gave up on becoming an Aura Guardian. I realized it wasn't meant for me," he continued. He was unable to keep a note of bitterness from his tone as he added, "After all, what kind of useless Aura Guardian lets their friend die?" 

" _No,_ " Lucario interrupted. " _I'm sorry to interrupt you like this, but you're dead wrong on that one._ " 

Ash blinked. "But, I–" 

" _You did your best, Ash. No one could have done more,_ " Lucario said gently. 

"But it wasn't good enough, was it?" he pointed out bitterly. "A real Aura Guardian would have been able to save Riolu." 

" _And you know that for sure now, do you?_ " the ancient Pokemon asked calmly. " _Death is something that happens to everyone, Ash. It's part of life. Sometimes, there's just_ _nothing anyone can do to stop it from happening. Not even Aura Guardians. It's not your fault that you couldn't save Riolu, and it's certainly not your fault that he was hit in the first place._ " 

"I don't know about that," Ash sighed, pulling almost absentmindedly at a blade of grass. "I just feel like if I hadn't gone inside right at that moment...I mean, it was bleeding, sure, but maybe I could have held on a bit longer..." 

He let his voice trail off, waves of guilt and shame washing over him. Why, _why_ , had he gone back inside at that moment? If he had just waited a little bit longer, he could have stopped Riolu from being hit. But no, he just had to have the worst timing in the world. And it hadn't even been a serious injury either. Riolu had died because he couldn't stop thinking about himself for thirty seconds. 

" _Ash, tell me something,_ " Lucario spoke up, jolting him out of his thoughts. " _Did you make that car appear when it did?_ " 

Ash started slightly. "W-well, no, I guess not." 

" _Were you the one who sent Riolu's ball into the street?_ " the jackal went on. 

"I...no, I wasn't," he answered. 

" _And did you not tell me five minutes ago that the driver didn't mean to hit him and that it was just bad timing?_ " Lucario questioned. 

"I...well, yeah, I guess I did say that," Ash agreed slowly, wondering what the Aura Pokemon was getting at. 

" _So if you know you didn't make that car appear right at that moment, and you know you weren't the one who sent Riolu's ball into the street, and you know the entire incident was just a result of bad timing, why do you still blame yourself?_ " Lucario asked. 

"I..." Ash trailed off, realizing he had no idea how to answer. 

" _What happened to Riolu was an accident, Ash. There's nothing anyone can do to prevent that,_ " the Aura Pokemon said softly. " _And it certainly doesn't mean that you're not fit to be an Aura Guardian either because from what I've seen of you, Ash, you would make a fine one. A very fine one indeed. But if you want to be able to move on with your life, you need to learn to forgive yourself first._ " 

"I'm not so sure I know how to do that," he admitted. 

" _Then start by making things right. Start training up your aura again,_ " Lucario requested. 

Ash stared at the jackal. "Do you really think Riley would take me back as his apprentice? I mean, I did kind of just up and leave." 

" _Who says we need to ask him? I can train you just as well,_ " the Aura Pokemon pointed out, his eyes gleaming. " _I might not be a full Aura Guardian, at least not technically, but I have enough knowledge that I'll be able to pass some onto you. However, we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. For now, let's focus on rescuing Pikachu, shall we?_ " 

For a few moments, Ash continued to stare at Lucario, his desire for things to return to the way they were battling fiercely with his last remaining ounce of doubt that he would ever be able to fix things. In the end, however, his longing for his old life and his old friends won out and he nodded. 

"Alright," he agreed softly. "I'll do it." 

Fate was a cruel mistress, sending him on a rescue mission with _Lucario_. For the past two years, his life hadn't been as exciting as it had been before. But his friends were all safe, and that had been enough for him-or so he'd thought. Yet now, surrounded by memories and faced with Lucario's request, he could feel a long-buried dream rising to the surface once more. Maybe he was being selfish, but he _wanted_ a chance to achieve his goals of becoming an Aura Guardian and a Pokemon master again. And more than anything, he wanted Pikachu back at his side. 

He got back to his feet to head back to camp with Lucario-and, unfortunately, quickly realized that this had been a terrible mistake. Ash wasn't entirely certain how long he had been sitting by the river, but it had apparently been much too long. His legs wobbled violently, and in an effort to regain control of his limbs, he shot an arm out toward Lucario. This, most unluckily, had the added effect of sending the startled Aura Pokemon tumbling into the river. 

" _I, wha-Ash!_ " Lucario exclaimed. 

Ash couldn't help it. He doubled over, laughing so hard he felt as though his sides would split. There was nothing particularly funny about the situation and he didn't know why he was laughing so much, but it had been so long since he had last laughed at anything and he found that once he started, it was impossible to stop. 

_I promise, one day, I'll make everything right again. No matter what it takes._


End file.
